Tool kit



Oct. 27, 1953 G. MMoNs 2,656,869

TOOL KIT Filed Aug. 50, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. I GEORQE/I. FMMMs zmmwwm Oct. 27, 1953 G. A. TIMMONS 2,656,869

TOOL KIT Filed Aug. 30 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

- GEORGE A. 7E4M0Ms Patented Oct. 27, 1953 TOOL KIT George A. Timmons, Hudson, Ohio, assignor to The House of Timmons Inc.,

a corporation of Ohio; Application August 30, 1950, Serial No. 182,252 1 Claim. (01. 150-42) This invention relates to tool kits and more particularly to a combined tool kit and warning signal.

There exist many forms of tool kits in the prior art having for their primary purpose the transport and storage of tools contained therein. The various tool kits are designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements of their particular fields of use. One such field of use relates to vehicle t'ool kits and the like which are adapted for carrying repair and maintenance tools for an automobile or like vehicle. In the case of such vehicle tools, itisoften necessary to use them on an open highway for emergency repairs and breakdowns. $uch emergencies ofttimes require that the vehicle not be moved and necessitate repairs on the time of the day or night.

In view of the dangerous nature of such emergency us of tools for vehicle repairs on an open highway, this invention contemplates a construction of a tool kit which may be used as a warning signal to approaching traffic, as well as a carrier for the tools.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a tool kit which will serve a dual purpose of tool carrier and warning signal device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tool kit which may be suspended from a vehicle to provide ready access to tools carried therein, aswell as a warning signal to approaching traffic.

Briefly, in accordance with this invention, I provide a tool kit embodying a carrier having a transparent panel and an opening at one end for receiving tools and having a flap cover adjacent the opening. The carrier also has a suitable handle or support for suspending the tool kit from a vehicle. I also provide a wrap-around cover for the carrier embodying a fluorescent material which is capable of presenting a reflected warning signal when the cover is unwrapped and the tool kit is suspended from a vehicle.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the tool kit of this invention in extended or open position; Fig. 2 illustrates the tool kit in closed or carrying condition; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the open tool kit along the lines 3--3 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cross section of the closed tool kit taken along the lines 4-4 in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the tool kit may be suspended from a vehicle with the wrap-around cover opened to act as a signal device; and Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of the tool kit of this invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my tool kit comprising a open highway at any Twinsburg, Ohio,

2 carrier III for retaining the various tools: therein and a wrap-around cover 20 which embodies a fluorescent material exhibiting the well-recognized phenomenon of fluorescence. The main body portion or carrier is formed by a pair of rectangularly' shaped panels secured together along three contiguous edges so as to leave one edge or end thereof open to admit the tools into the pocket or carrier so formed;

One of the panels H, which: I prefer to refer to as the back panel, is preferably made of some heavy or reinforced material such as oil cloth, canvas, or thelike; and has an. extended flap portion l2" adjacent the carrier opening which acts as a retaining: cover for the carrier opening. The other panel 13, which I prefer to call thefront panel, may likewise be formed of any suitable material, but in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. l I prefer to utilize a transparent material, such as a suitable plastic. Fhus when the panels I! and t3 are secured together along thecontigw ous edges to form a carrier for the tools, it is possible to identify the" tools and their location. in the carrier by visual inspection through the transparent plastic front panel 13.

As best illustratedin Fig.- 3, the back panel fl folds over tooverlapthe edges of the transparent panel it in such manner that the panel N forms the main body portion of the tool carrier. The panel It then: acts as a window for observing the position of the tools in the carrier. When securing the edges of the panels H and t3 together, I prefer to make a double fold of the edges of panel ll so that the cooperating edges of the panel t3 will nest within the fold as'shown. The cooperating edges of each panel may then be secured together by any one of several known methods such as by adhesive, stitching, or electronic welding.

The rear panel I l, as illustrated in Fig. I in its preferred form also has a second flap portionextending from the secured edge adjacent the carl4 may be an inherent part of the rear panel II, or may be a separate panel secured along the edge of the rear panel, as shown in Fig. 3. The panel I4 is preferably provided with a pair of spaced openings [5 through which is mounted a suitable handle support I 6 for suspending the tool kit from a motor vehicle or the like.

In the preferred form illustrated in Fig. 1, I have also provided snap fasteners H on the flap l'2 of the tool kit which cooperate with mating fasteners on the front panel [3. If desired, such fasteners may also be provided for the support flap 4.

pend from the tool 3 r The tool kit so formed embodies a carrier 50 having a tool receiving opening adapted to be covered by a flap cover i2 and having provision mounted on another flap M for suspending the tool kit from a vehicle or like support. The tool kit also embodies the transparent front panel ii) for visual inspection of the tools within the kit. Further, in. accordance with this invention, I secure to the tool kit so formed a display or signal panel 25 embodying a fluorescent material, which panel may be secured, as best shown in Fig. 3, to the rear panel l I of the tool kit opposite from the suspending flap Id. The location of the display device on the tool kit has a dual purpose in that it serves as a wrap-around cover for the tool kit when not in use, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and need only be unwrapped when necessary so that as the tool kit is suspended from a vehicle, the panel or display wrap-around cover 20 would dekit to present a reflected warning signal to approaching trafiic.

The wrap-around signal panel 20 is shown in the drawings in the form of a pennant and may be fabricated from a sheet or web material impregnated or coated with a fluorescent material which exhibits the well-recognized phenomenon of selective absorption and reflection of incident light rays. Such signal panels may be fabricated in accordance with well known principles to ex-- hibit the fluorescent phenomenon at any time of the day or night and under any circumstances of light and atmospheric conditions. The combined signal panel and cover 20 is provided with cooperating parts of a snap fastener is, l8a at spaced positions which are aligned when the cover is wrapped around the carrier 10 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 5, where like numerals designate like parts, there is illustrated for exemplary purposes the rear of a motor vehicle showing how the tool kit of this invention may be suspended from a bumper guard or the like on such vehicle either for ready access to the tools in the kit or to be used as a display device with the wrap-around cover unwrapped and hanging below the main body of the tool kit to present a warning signal as previously described. When used in this manner, a warning signal wil1 be reflected from a dual cover and display panel to indicate the presence on the highway of the disabled vehicle and to indicate further that the vehicle operator may be in or near the area using tools to work on the disabled vehicle.

It is to be understood that the form and construction of the tool kit illustrated in Fig. l is a preferred form and that many other forms of construction may be utilized to accomplish a like result. The display signal panel and cover can of course be designed in various geometrical shapes other than the pennant of Fig. 1 so as to attract attention by giving a reflected signal shape which will stand out from the surroundings.

In like manner the carrier construction and the arrangement of the main body of the tool kit and the display wrap-around cover may be modified in, various ways and still come within the principles of this invention. Such a modification is illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein the carrier 19 of the tool kit has only one flap. This flap Ida (shown in the open position) carries the handle is and serves as a closing flap for the kit. This modified form also carries the Wrap-around signal cover 20 at the end opposite the tool receiving opening. With this construction the tool kit is suspended so that the body portion opening of the tool kit is at the top rather than the side of the kit and one of the flaps on the rear panel is eliminated. When not in use, the top flap may be snapped down to the front panel by the fasteners H, Ha and the Wrap-around signal cover wrapped around the top and bottom rather than around the sides, or, if desired, the signal panel may be rolled into a flat packet which may be snapped onto the front panel of the carrier so that it is not necessary to open the signal panel every time access to the tools is desired.

The tool kit'of this invention is so constructed as to provide a simple and efficient tool carrier having a wrap-around cover which, when opened suspended from a vehicle or the like, acts as a warning signal to approaching traffic. Thus, the tool kit of this invention in addition to providing the practical functions of storing and transporting tools therein in a protective and efficient manner, also embodies inherent safety features which are highly desirable. and effective in their purpose.

I have shown and described what I consider to be a preferred embodiment of my invention along with similar modified forms, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other changes and modifications, particularly with respect to the arrangement of the signal wrap-around cover with the main body portion of the tool kit, may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined by the appended claim.

Iclaim:

A tool kit comprising in combination, a rear panel of reinforced material, a smaller front panel of transparent material, the edges of said rear panel adapted to overlap the front panel with a reverse double fold along all but one edge, said front panel nesting within said reverse double fold, means for securing the edges of said front panel within said reverse double-fold of the rear panel, said unsecured edge of the rear panel acting as a flap cover for the open edge of the carrier so formed, fastening means on said transparent front panel, a second flap member secured to said rear panel adjacent one of the secured edges, said flap member having a plurality of spaced openings therethrcugh, a tie member threaded and secured through said openings for supporting the carrier from a vehicle, a wraparound cover having one edge secured to the rear panel and adapted to depend freely therefrom in unwrapped condition, said wrap-around cover comprising a fluorescent panel adapted to be outwardly visible to an observer when the carrier is supported from a vehicle with the cover in unwrapped condition, and, fastening means on the free end and intermediate portion of said wrap-I around cover, said fastening means adapted to be aligned in fastening relation for securing th free end of said wrap-around cover to an intermediate portion thereof when wrapped around the carrier.

GEORGE A. TIMMONS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,221,100 Smith et al. Apr. 3, 1917 1,634,232 Levit Sept. 11, 1928 1,705,149 Brady Mar. 12, 1929 1,900,945 Meyers, Jr Mar. 14, 1933 2,342,005 Mittag Feb. 15, 1944 2,565,680 Feld Aug. 28, 1951 

